Japanese author Jack K Yamaguchi, writing in RX-8, a history of Mazda's four-door, rotary-engined sports car, said: "The spirit has always been with Mazda and Mazda people. They are rotary people and they are sports car people "
Mazda people - be they fans or employees - are also passionate about their cars. Now the company's engineers have done it again, producing a superb vehicle that puts the zoom-zoom back into motoring.
The Mazda 6 MPS (Mazda Performance Series) is absolutely fabulous: its turbocharged, 2.3-litre engine and active torque-split, all-wheel-drive system send it rocketing from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.6sec. Low-flying, sisters, but in a chariot that's brilliant to drive.
I suspect this high-performance version of the Mazda 6 will attract a slew of boy-racers; it produces 195kW, which translates into something quite special.
But the fairer sex will enjoy the uncomplicated handling and driveability of the car, the spaciousness, the glorious luxury - and a choice of colours with whimsical names like Snowflake White Pearl, Moist Silver and Velocity Red
But don't let those or the graceful, unassuming and understated appearance of the car fool you. It's a viper: hugely impressive, quick as hell, and billed as the fastest, best handling, best braking Mazda sedan ever built.
My first outing in the car took me by surprise, not that I was applying my makeup at the time or painting my nails or anything, but the word whiplash sprang to mind as the turbo (and the adrenalin) kicked in.
What a rush! No doubt everyone who drives this will find it exceptionally hard to rein the car in; it's very tempting to just let it go and to hell with the consequences. Exhilarating, exciting, exquisite!
However, I tend to agree with a British motoring writer who said: "I think the snag, though, is that many of the people in the market for this sort of car won't want it merely to sound pleasant - they will want it to advertise its power in a more obvious manner to the car's occupants, to passers-by and to rival road racers.
"The Mazda 6 MPS is a considerable talent but one that may just be a bit too understated for its own good."
You see, like many Subarus, for instance, the car - albeit good looking - displays none of its ability on the outside (apart from the MPS badging and the telltale twin chromed tailpipes).
Top speed, incidentally, is governed to 240km/h but the speedometer is marked to 280km/h.
The right stuff
Like the standard Mazda6, the MPS comes with accoutrements such as anti-lock brakes, leather seats, front, side and curtain crash bags and dynamic stability control. And there's a sunroof.
It's also available only in a six-speed manual version, ladies.
The car costs R323 200, including a five-year or 100 000km warranty, backed up by a five-year or 100 000km MazdaMotion maintenance plan - and you'll be treated to a free advanced driving course courtesy of Mazda SA.